Each year, warm weather tends to signal two things: Summer is on the way, and now is the time for spring-cleaning.
Many people use this time to “clean” various aspects of their lives, from homes to computers to wardrobes. For some, it can even mean an emotional cleanse. Sometimes, this can translate into a very long to-do list.
If you like to tackle projects yourself, here are some words of advice.
- Draw up a detailed plan to give your home an all-over clean.
- Start with the easiest rooms.
- Consider making your own cleaning solutions to help save money.
- When starting to clean a room, clean the highest points first and work your way to the floor. This will help you avoid redundant cleaning.
Stark also warned cleaners to remember the places they may not see easily, such as kitchen cabinets or the base of the toilet.
“They forget those need to be cleaned just as much,” she said.
Long-forgotten stains might seem impossible to remove. But the University of Illinois Extension has compiled a comprehensive list of helpful tips online at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/stain. You can search by stain from airplane glue and after-shave lotion to Worcestershire sauce and zucchini.
Some household cleaners can be harsh on the hands, nose and environment, but there are ways to use nontoxic chemicals that will help safeguard you and nature.
According to California-based Ecology Center, salt, baking soda and even cornmeal can be used as cleaner substitutes, and you can make them at home.
Cleaning your home office
Good Housekeeping magazine offers these suggestions for keeping the home office neat and tidy.
- Clear the dust. Cleaning your computer requires delicate work. Reach for a microfiber cloth or electronics wipe. These won’t scratch surfaces or leave lint behind. Do NOT use glass cleaner — the solvents can strip the antiglare coating off your screen.
Turn off the screen and go over it lightly with your cloth. Then dampen the cloth, and buff away grime on the rest of the monitor or laptop. Handle the mouse and printer the same way.
- Erase surface stains. If your work surface is laminate or another washable material, spritz on all-purpose cleaner, wipe with a sponge and rinse. For sealed wood surfaces, use the vinegar-water mix. Let either cleaner soak on sticky stains for a few seconds, then scrape with your fingernail or a credit card; wipe and rinse. Ink stains will come off with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol; rinse with the sponge.
- De-gunk the keyboard. Unplug the keyboard and hold it upside down over a trash can or sink. Tap the back to loosen any crumbs trapped between and beneath the keys. Use a paintbrush to whisk dust from all the openings and crevices.
Using a cotton ball dampened with rubbing alcohol, wipe the surface of the keys. Let dry about 20 seconds before plugging back in.
For your laptop, do the best you can with the brush, or use a bottle of compressed air (find it at office stores).
Make your own cleaners
Concerned about environmentally unfriendly chemicals in your home? The Ecology Center in California suggests the following recipes for making your own household cleaners using items you may already have around the house.
For more ideas, go online at www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/cleaning.html.
All-purpose cleaner
1 quart warm water
1 teaspoon liquid soap
1 teaspoon borax
1/4 cup undiluted white vinegar
Mix ingredients and store in a spray bottle. Use for cleaning countertops, floors, walls, carpets and upholstery.
Glass cleaner
1 quart warm water
1/4 cup white vinegar or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Mix ingredients and store in a spray bottle.
Oven cleaner
Mix:
1 quart warm water
2 teaspoons borax
2 tablespoons liquid soap
Spray on solution, wait 20 minutes, then clean.
Other tips:
- To remove crayon marks: Rub mark with toothpaste and a damp cloth. (Do not use on non-vinyl wallpaper.)
- To clean your tub and bathroom tiles: Scrub surfaces with baking soda slightly moistened with water. To remove mineral deposits around faucets, cover deposits with strips of paper towels, soaked in vinegar. Let sit for 1 hour and clean.
- To clean vinyl floors, mix 1 gallon water with 1/2 cup white vinegar or 1/4 cup borax. Remove scuff marks with toothpaste. For unvarnished wood floors, use a damp mop with mild vegetable oil soap. And for carpet odors, sprinkle entire carpet with baking soda. Let sit 15 minutes, or overnight for serious odors, then vacuum.
The State Journal-Register
author: Andrea Zimmermann